Dark Clouds on the Horizon
by Julia Holtemore
Summary: This is another scene that JKR left out. When Harry is supposed to be doing his Herbology homework during HBP, he is really thinking about a particularly happy hour spent down by the lake with Ginny. What exactly went on there? Obviously HBP spoilers!


**A/N:** Just so you know, I am really excited about this fic. I think it's my favorite one-shot. However, I did put something in here that gung-ho Harry Potter fans might not like too much. I mentioned pick-up lines. I don't know if that's what you call them in Britain, but in California that's what we call them. I definitely know, however, that JKR would never mention them, but I did anyway. Sorry. Anyway, enjoy!

**Summary:** When Harry was staring out the window in the "Seer Overheard" chapter of HBP, thinking about a "particularly happy hour he had spent down by the lake with Ginny" instead of doing his Herbology homework, what exactly went on down there? You're about to find out. Spoilers! Sort of a sequel to _Waiting for You_, but you could easily read this without reading the other.

**Genre:** Romance, slight Angst.

**Rating:** K+ (PG)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anywthing in the Harry Potter universe and I don't feel like coming up with a clever disclaimer, so take it as it is!

**Dark Clouds on the Horizon**

Harry Potter walked down the corridor, just behind a bickering Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, toward the Great Hall for lunch. Normally he would be thinking about how hungry he was after a hard day of studying, but today his mind was elsewhere.

So much had changed in the past few days. Ever since that Quidditch Final, Harry felt that absolutely nothing could dampen his mood. Certainly, the Gryffindor victory was a plus, but Harry didn't feel very attached to that, since he was not able to participate in the match. No, winning the Quidditch Cup was only a small addition to Harry's fantastic paradise. The real victory was winning Ginny Weasley's heart. Or at least getting her to go out with him. He supposed he'd always had her heart and hadn't really known it until a few months before. But ever since he had kissed her in the common room that Saturday afternoon, he always wanted to be with her.

He didn't understand it, but he felt a strong connection to Ginny that seemed to grow every day. She knew him so well, and it wasn't just because they'd both had encounters with Voldemort. Ginny could cheer him up in any situation, and Harry could do the same for her. They each had similar talents, but could help the other out with their specific strengths. They both had a fierce determination, but could make a situation light and fun. Harry was never more comfortable around anyone else, nor was he ever happier. They just seemed to... fit.

"Er, Harry? Are you alright?" Ron asked, turning back to look at him curiously. Harry realized he was wearing a stupid grin on his face and promptly dropped it. "You've been awfully quiet all day."

Harry couldn't help it; he grinned again. It was odd, but even thinking about the times when he thought about Ginny made his heart swell inside. But he quickly frowned when he noticed Hermione smirk knowingly.

"Did you have fun on your walk last night, Harry?" Hermione asked mischievously as they made their way down the final steps of the marble staircase that led to the entrance hall. "I'm sure it was beautiful on the dark grounds with Ginny..."

Harry felt his cheeks burn when he realized Ginny had told Hermione all about the night before. _Girls, _he thought. _They can never stop gossiping._ However, at that moment he spotted Ginny heading to the Great Hall from Potions and he quickly forgot about his embarrassment. Looking for a quick escape, he turned to Hermione.

"Yeah, actually, I had a great time last night. And I suspect lunch will be pretty fun, too," he said with a grin as Ginny walked up behind them and he put an arm around her. Hermione's smile widened as she looked between the two of them, but Harry noticed Ron scowl. Harry ignored them both and turned to Ginny.

"Fancy another walk on the grounds?" he asked as he looked down into her sparkling eyes.

Ginny smiled mischievously. "Oh yes, Mr. Potter. I think I'd like that."

Laughing at his friends' expressions, Harry steered Ginny away toward the doors that led to the grounds. He vaguely heard Ron say something like, "_What_, exactly, did they do last night, Hermione?" before crossing the threshold to the grounds beyond.

"So," said Ginny, stopping under a large tree and pulling Harry down onto a comfortable patch of grass. "What do you want to do?"

"Oh, I dunno," Harry said with a smirk.

Ginny smiled as well. "I can think of a few things..."

She leaned up and kissed him passionately, which Harry was only too eager to return. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, still locked in the kiss. Ginny began to lean back against the grass, and she grabbed the collar of Harry's shirt to pull him down with her. They fell back against the grass, but unfortunately Ginny fell a little hard and bumped her head heavily against the ground.

"Ouch!" she said loudly, sitting up and rubbing the back of her head. Harry laughed and sat up as well.

"Don't laugh! Can't you see that your girlfriend is in terrible pain?" Ginny asked dramatically, continuing to rub her head while shooting a pretend glare at Harry, who was still laughing. He attempted to make his facial expression more somber.

"Terribly sorry," he said soberly (or at least he tried to). "What would you like me to do?"

A devilish smile played across her lips before she frowned and batted her eyelashes. "Could you kiss it to make it better?"

Harry was tempted to say yes, but he decided that denying her would be so much more fun.

"I don't think so Miss Weasley," Harry said sternly. "That's what got you that bump in the first place."

Ginny scowled so bitterly that Harry could no longer contain his amusement. He burst out laughing. She gave him an angry sniff and turned away from him, but he knew she was just pretending. Wrapping his arms around her, he gently kissed the back of her head and Harry saw her smile as they both turned to gaze out at the lake.

"So," said Ginny, breaking the pleasant silence. "What's your favorite animal?"

If it was anyone else, Harry might have laughed. But they had been trying to make up for the lost years of not being very close by learning as much as they could about each other. They'd been doing this kind of questioning for the past couple weeks, so Harry was used to it by now.

"Er... I suppose a dog."

It showed how well they had gotten to know each other that Ginny didn't tease him for his seemingly generic comment. They both knew Harry chose the dog because that was Sirius' animagus form.

Ginny nodded. "Favorite desert?"

Harry smiled, privately thinking that she already knew the answer to that. "Treacle tart."

"Okay... how about the most edible thing Hagrid's cooked for you?"

Laughing out loud, Harry thought back on all of the terrible things Hagrid had cooked.

"Well, one time last year he made a decent beef casserole, but Hermione unearthed a talon of some sort, so we decided to hold off after that."

Ginny was smiling; Harry loved that smile. It made him want to hold her in his arms and never let go.

"All right, my turn," Harry said, grinning. He didn't know why he was asking this next question, but he asked anyway. "What is the most ridiculous pick-up line you have ever heard?"

"What's a pick-up line?" said Ginny, frowning in confusion.

Remembering she didn't have much experience with the Muggle world, Harry explained. "It's something a guy says to get a girl interested in him. They're usually really stupid, like 'Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? Because with a face like that you must be an angel.' Or something like that."

Ginny laughed at that. "Who would ever say something so stupid?"

Ginning, Harry replied, "Ron would."

"Really?" she said with a mischievous smile, and Harry knew Ron would never live that down.

"Yeah. Neville and I saw him practicing in front of the mirror once."

They both knew that Ron was trying everything he could to get Hermione's attention on him in a romantic way, but he was failing miserably. It was something that Harry and Ginny found most entertaining.

"Anyway," said Harry, "what's you answer?"

Ginny shrugged. "No one's ever used one of those on me. When Michael asked me out, he said some thing like, 'So, er, do you wanna go to, er... Hogsmeade with me?'" Harry laughed at her impression of Michael Corner as she continued. "Dean was a bit more eloquent, but it was essentially the same thing. Other boys have asked me out, but I think you win the prize in that area."

She looked up at him, her eyes alive with such happiness that Harry couldn't resist giving her a quick kiss. She pretended to ponder something and spoke.

"Then again, Dean _was_ a pretty good kisser-"

She was immediately silenced as Harry kissed her again. He felt her wrap her arms around his neck and he held her close. They would have stayed like that forever, if it weren't for the unfortunate fact that humans need air. Pulling away a bit reluctantly, Ginny turned and leaned against him so they were again looking toward the lake. They fell into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the peace of the day. After a few minutes, Ginny spoke.

"What do you think is going to happen to us?" she asked seriously. "You know, with the war?"

Harry sighed and laid his head on Ginny's, feeling an enormous knot within his stomach tighten painfully. He still hadn't told Ginny about the Horcruxes, or even the prophecy. He knew she would not react badly to it, but he didn't want to mar what comfort they had. He decided that if she remained oblivious – for now, anyway – she would remain happy. Harry wouldn't be able to stand seeing her upset.

"I... I don't know, Ginny." He took a deep breath. "The war is raging and I'm going to be a part of it-"

"As am I," Ginny interrupted with fierce determination. Harry shook his head.

"No, you need to stay safe."

Ginny turned to face him, her eyes burning with annoyance. "Are you saying I'm incapable of taking care of myself?"

"No!" Harry protested. "I'm saying that the only way I can go on is if I know you're okay."

Ginny's face softened. "Look, Harry, I understand that you're concerned. After all you've been through, I would be surprised if you weren't. But I would never ask you not to fight, so please don't ask me." She kissed his cheek gently. "You may think this is only your fight, but there are others who have lost to You-Know-Who. There are hard times ahead, and you can't do it on your own."

Harry sighed and nodded. "I just-"

She put her finger to his lips to quiet him. "Don't worry, Harry. What will come will come. We've just got to be ready when it does."

Suddenly there was a loud rumbling from the distance. They both looked up and saw a storm brewing in the west. Harry sighed and stood up, pulling Ginny to her feet.

"Looks like it's going to rain," he said sadly. "Come on, let's get inside."

He took her hand and they walked quickly back up to the castle. They were each in solemn silence, pondering their life ahead and the trials that lay before them in the near future. They reached the castle within a few minutes and closed the door behind them. Once inside they took a final look outside, gloomily noting the dark clouds on the horizon.


End file.
